What To Do When: Losing At The Scrum
It is inevitable for a rugby team to come up against tough opposition which will challenge them and potentially cause problems in a part of the game. In this article we look at what to do if the opposition are dominating the forwards in the scrum.
If you are being beaten in the scrum it can be a very hard, challenging day for the forwards. When defending a scrum the team should firstly be concerned about giving away penalties for collapsing or wheeling. The only way to take on being outmatched at the scrum is to try to dig in and fight to keep the scrum as closely contested as possible. The hooker shouldn’t try to compete for the ball, instead helping in the pushing duties. The back row should stay bound and engaged in the scrum to support the pack and not disengage before the ball is out. This is all easier said than done but the main goal is to have all 8 working together to lock up the scrum and not give up meters or penalties.
When attacking with a weaker scrum, again all player should work hard to keep the scrum strong but it is up to the scrumhalf, the hooker and the number 8 to complete the scrum quickly. The goal is to get the ball in and out of the scrum fast so the opposition has less time to cause problems.
Firstly, the ball should only come in to the scrum once the “engage” has settled, a good forward pack will be able to benefit from an unsettled scrum. The scrum half and hooker should have a signal for when the ball is coming in. This signal will also mean that the hooker will be able to hook the ball backwards immediately as the ball comes in. The hook should be quick and firm and go down whichever channel is the most reliable for the team. A good positive hook should mean that regardless of how good the opposition is, the ball should make it back to the number 8.
8 Pick
If the scrum is going very badly then at the first opportunity, the number 8 should pick the ball and take it into contact. This is probably the safest thing to do in terms of regaining possession. The flankers should be aware of this and support the number 8 so that the ball is secured.
Scrum Wheeling
Typically if the scrum is going backwards quickly, it will start to wheel, normally clockwise therefore the usual rule of picking and going away from the scrumhalf doesn’t work very well. Going towards the scrumhalf can work if the attacking scrumhalf is tactical about where they stand and how they can block the opposition legally.
Pitching The Ball
If there is a bit more time for the number 8 and the team want to get the ball out to the backs, a good option is to pitch the ball back to the 9. This gets the ball away from the scrum and makes the pass for the scrum half much easier.
